Sahara Las Vegas Map: The Strip's North Anchor
Sahara at a glance
- Casino floor
- ~50,662 sq ft · compact
- Towers
- 3 (Blanca, Marra, Alexandria)
- Rooms
- ~1,600
- Monorail
- Northern terminus (last stop)
- Opened
- 1952 (SLS 2014–2019)
- Side of the Strip
- East · far north end
Sahara is where the Las Vegas Strip runs out. It anchors the far north end, at the corner of Sahara Avenue, and it is the last stop on the Las Vegas Monorail — the line's northern terminus. That combination shapes how you use the place: it sits apart from the dense mid-Strip cluster, so the monorail at its back door does more work than your feet.
It also carries more history than almost anything around it. The original Sahara opened in 1952, closed in 2011, reopened as SLS Las Vegas in 2014, and went back to the Sahara name in 2019 under the Meruelo Group. If a map or a booking still says SLS, this is the property it means. And unlike the mega-resorts nearby, the casino floor is compact — one of the smaller ones on the Strip — so the navigation problem here is not a maze.
The Monorail's Last Stop
Being the line's terminus is what makes the monorail the most useful thing to know about getting around from Sahara. The station sits at the rear (east) of the property, toward Paradise Road, and the entrance was rebuilt for easier access from the casino, with a pedestrian bridge linking the two. From that station the monorail runs south down the east side of the Strip to the Convention Center, the mid-Strip casinos, and MGM Grand without touching a car or the Boulevard sidewalk.
That matters because Sahara sits alone at the top of the Strip. Walking to the mid-Strip cluster is a genuine trek, not a few minutes between neighbors. So the play from Sahara is simple: for anything down the east side, take the monorail; for the immediate neighbors, walk; for the west side or a show across town, use a rideshare. Getting from the casino floor to the monorail bridge is the one interior route worth knowing here.
Small floor, but the monorail bridge is easy to miss.
Casino Compass maps the inside of Sahara and 20+ other Las Vegas properties — the casino floor, the three tower lobbies, and the way through to the monorail station at the back.
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A Compact Casino Floor
The gaming floor runs about 50,662 square feet — small by Strip standards, roughly the size of a compact floor like Treasure Island's and a fraction of a giant like the Venetian. For navigation that is a feature, not a shortcoming: you can see across most of it, the walk to any restaurant or the cage is short, and it is genuinely hard to get lost.
The property was fully reworked during the SLS era and again under Sahara, so it reads as a modern, mid-size resort rather than a sprawling one. The orientation task is small: find your tower, find the casino floor, and find the monorail bridge at the back. That is most of what there is to know.
Three Towers
Sahara's roughly 1,600 rooms are split across three towers, and knowing yours is the one thing to sort out before you arrive:
| Tower | Rooms (approx.) | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Marra | ~1,100 | The main, largest tower — the bulk of the rooms |
| Alexandria | ~300 | The suites tower, the upper-tier option |
| Blanca | ~200 | A small boutique tower with a pop-art look |
These replaced the SLS-era Story, World, and Lux tower names, so an older guide or a stale map may still use those. If yours does, it is describing the same three towers.
Getting In and Out
How you leave Sahara comes down to its north-end position: the monorail at the back handles most trips down the east side, walking covers the immediate neighbors, and a rideshare covers the west side and anything far.
| Going to | Best option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Convention Center / mid-Strip east side | Las Vegas Monorail, at the rear | Sahara is the north terminus; runs south down the east side, no Boulevard crossing |
| Circus Circus / Resorts World | On foot | Closest resorts, a few minutes south |
| The Strat | On foot or rideshare | Just north across Sahara Avenue on the west side |
| Mid-Strip / west side | Rideshare | Real distance from the far north end; walking density thins out up here |
Full detail on the line, including stations and fares, is in the Las Vegas Monorail guide — Sahara is the station to know as the north end of it. For the north-end walking distances people underestimate, see walking the Strip.
What's Inside
For a compact property Sahara packs in more than its size suggests: resident shows Magic Mike Live and MJ Live, the Foundry live-music venue, and dining led by Bazaar Meat by José Andrés, alongside Maroon, the Zeffer's Cafe, and others, plus a pool complex and a spa. Because the floor is small, all of it is a short walk once you are oriented — the work is finding your tower and the casino floor, not covering distance. Current shows, venues, and hours are on the official Sahara site.
Wheelchair, scooter, and stroller access
The compact, recently-renovated floor is one of the more manageable on the Strip for wheeled access — short interior distances and level circulation rather than the long, stitched-together corridors of the mega-resorts. The route worth confirming on arrival is from your tower's elevator core to the monorail bridge at the rear, since that is the one interior trip most guests repeat.
The monorail station itself is step-free via the rebuilt entrance and pedestrian bridge; if a specific elevator route is a concern, the bell desk can confirm the current path from your tower.
Common Navigation Mistakes
Assuming it is central. Sahara is the far north end, not mid-Strip. The short hops between Bellagio and Caesars are not the distances up here — plan on the monorail or a rideshare for anything past the immediate neighbors.
Missing the monorail at the back. The station is at the rear (east) of the property toward Paradise Road, not off the Strip-facing front. Head through and toward the back to find the bridge.
Going by the SLS name. Old maps, signs, and reviews may still say SLS Las Vegas. It is the same building — and the Story/World/Lux tower names are now Marra/Alexandria/Blanca.
Forgetting which side you are on. Sahara is east side. The Strat and the west-side properties mean crossing the Boulevard, which at this end is not the frequent-bridge situation you get further south.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Sahara Las Vegas on the Strip?
At 2535 South Las Vegas Boulevard, at the far north end, on the east side at the corner of Sahara Avenue. The property runs back east toward Paradise Road and the monorail terminus. Its closest neighbors are Circus Circus and Resorts World south, Fontainebleau just south on the same east side, and The Strat across Sahara Avenue to the north.
Is Sahara the same as SLS Las Vegas?
Yes — the same building. It was the original Sahara (1952–2011), reopened as SLS Las Vegas in 2014, and returned to the Sahara name in August 2019 under the Meruelo Group. If a map or booking still says SLS, it means this property.
How big is the Sahara casino floor?
About 50,662 square feet — one of the smaller Strip floors, roughly the size of a compact floor like Treasure Island's. Easy to cross and hard to get lost on; the real challenge is that Sahara sits alone at the far north end.
Does the Las Vegas Monorail stop at Sahara?
Yes — Sahara is the northern terminus, the last stop on the line. The station is at the rear (east) of the property with a rebuilt entrance and pedestrian bridge, and the monorail runs south down the east side to the Convention Center and mid-Strip. It is the most useful way in and out of Sahara without a car.
What are the Sahara Las Vegas hotel towers?
About 1,600 rooms across three towers: Marra (the largest, ~1,100 rooms), Alexandria (~300 suites), and Blanca (a ~200-room boutique tower). Know which is yours on arrival — it sets your lobby and elevators. These replaced the SLS-era Story, World, and Lux names.
When did Sahara Las Vegas open?
The original Sahara opened October 7, 1952, the sixth hotel on the Strip. It closed in 2011, reopened as SLS Las Vegas in 2014, and returned to the Sahara name in 2019 — seven decades of Strip history in one building.
What is inside Sahara Las Vegas?
Resident shows Magic Mike Live and MJ Live, the Foundry live-music venue, dining led by Bazaar Meat by José Andrés (plus Maroon and the Zeffer's Cafe), and a pool complex and spa. The compact floor means all of it is a short walk once you are oriented.
Can you walk from Sahara to the rest of the Strip?
You can, but Sahara is the far north end where walking density drops off, so the mid-Strip cluster is a real distance. Circus Circus is the closest resort on foot; for anything further, the monorail at the rear is usually the better option — being its north terminus is what makes Sahara easy to use without a car.
Find Your Way Around Sahara in Seconds
The floor is small, but the one route that matters — from your tower to the monorail bridge at the back — is easy to walk past. Casino Compass maps the interior of Sahara along with 20+ other Las Vegas properties, with maps available offline so casino Wi-Fi can't slow you down.